I wrote: “Or maybe he (Jesus) meant, “Those I love will believe and will be saved.”
Dr E replied “But of course, that’s EXACTLY what He said.”
Except what is recorded in scripture is: “And as Moses lifted up the bronze snake on a pole in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, so that everyone who believes in him will have eternal life. For God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him. There is no judgment against anyone who believes in him. But anyone who does not believe in him has already been judged for not believing in God’s one and only Son.”
Nor do the verses the quoted by Dr E show that God loves some people, but hates others. John 15:16 reads “You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you.”
What? Jesus chose and appointed his disciples?
Duh!
And did God come looking for a people not looking for him? Of course. But anyone who reads John would notice Jesus speaks at great length about the need to believe, and how he calls all, but not all come - but that those who come, receive life.
“...these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.”
And that by believing you may have life. Believe to regeneration, or regenerated by a secret act of God to belief?
What does the word of God say?!
“You’re playing for the wrong team, Mr. R.”
Those who distort the word of God for their own ends are also described...
3He answered them, “And why do you break the commandment of God for the sake of your tradition? 4For God commanded, ‘Honor your father and your mother,’ and, ‘Whoever reviles father or mother must surely die.’ 5But you say, ‘If anyone tells his father or his mother, “What you would have gained from me is given to God,” 6he need not honor his father.’ So for the sake of your tradition you have made void the word of God. 7 You hypocrites! Well did Isaiah prophesy of you, when he said:
8 “’This people honors me with their lips,
but their heart is far from me;
9in vain do they worship me,
teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’”
It seems the Pharisees had gone to Seminary, and learned what God REALLY meant - what His secret will was! I’ll be content to play for the other team. It is the one Jesus is on.
“But anyone who does not believe in him has already been judged for not believing in God’s one and only Son.”
How do you interpret this verse? Were they judged before Jesus said “For God so loved the world....?”
Did God anticipate that there would be those who would not believe?
What? Jesus chose and appointed his disciples? Duh!
Double DUH! Do you mean "His apostles?" (Which is the EXACT same threadbare argument the Romanists give us time and again for supporting the papal priesthood.)
I am a disciples of Jesus Christ. Aren't you?
And yes, He appointed me to that position. Just as He appointed you, whether you acknowledge that fact or claim it for your own.
"Therefore said I unto you, that no man can come unto me, except it were given unto him of my Father." -- John 6:65
"No man." Not just the apostles, the disciples or those Christ doesn't pray for.
You often call Calvinists "Pharisees." You seem to harbor a lot of animosity against the doctrines of grace and those who hold them dear.
Your loss.
For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise. For yet a little while, and he that shall come will come, and will not tarry. Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him. But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition; but of them that believe to the saving of the soul." -- Hebrews 10:35-39"Cast not away therefore your confidence, which hath great recompence of reward.
"The just shall live by faith."
We are justified first by Christ's shed blood from the cross, made known to us by the regenerating grace of the Holy Spirit; and then we believe, according to the will and purpose of God alone.